"Deadliest Catch" star Phil Harris, captain of the crab fishing boat Cornelia Marie, died Tuesday from complications of a stroke he suffered on January 29. He was 53.

Harris was offloading his boat in port at t. Paul Island in Alaska when he suffered the stroke, according to an Entertainment Weekly report. His sons Jake and Josh, who have been by his side ever since, said in a statement after thier father's death:

Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate his strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers."

The Discovery Channel said:

We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil’s every move.”